Adjusting Iodine levels?

After seeing 4 different colonies of pulsing xenia...well..not pulse, I decided to pick up a Salifert Iodine test. This thing was a bit more involved then I was hoping for, but the initial results are:

Iodide: 0.01
Iodate: 0 (no color change)
Iodiate/Iodine: 0 (no color change)

I've been using 3 to 4 drops of Lugol's weekly, and it seems this isn't enough.

What do you other reefers use as a supplement? I suppose I could just increase the amount/frequency of Lugol's dosage, but the label doesn't mention how much product will increase the numbers by x amount (if that makes any sense).

Other parameters are:

Alk:3.2 meq/l
Ph: 8.2
Ca: 410
Mg: 1180
temp: 78-80.5
No3: ~10

Any help would be appreciated. I've never been able to get this stuff to pulse no matter what amount of flow or light they are subjected to.

 

are you positive that your xenia's are the pulseing type? did you ever see them pulse? i picked some pulsers 3weeks ago and they were even pulsing in the bag. intrduced them to my tank and within 10 minutes they were going away. and as far as iodine i add 7 drops a day of kent marine iodine and really have never tested it.

 

Yep, quite sure they are pulsing xenia, as the one I got from a LFS was pulsing in their tank...the rest are frags that I've gotten from people in my local MAS. My Red Sea xenia seems to have responded well to having the Ph raised with some buffer last night, I'll see how the others do once the lights come on.

You add 7 drops a day of iodine and don't test the levels? Any algae problems?

 

well, I got xenia too. And it was pulsing like mad in the store, and in the bag, and in my tank. For about half a day. Now they don't do anything anymore. Just like yours.
I was just about to try to find an iodine test kit today too. Tried yesterday already, but nobody seems to carry them.

 

Yeah, I cant find any iodine test kits locally either. Guess I'm gonna have to order one. I haven't seen my pulse at all yet...

but theyr're still pretty waving at me!!!

Scoffer

 

at least I know now that I'm not the only one

 

I've learned that the 2 biggest factors in xenia pulsing are salinity and pH. I've buffered my pH to 8.3 and my SG is almost 1.025. One of the colonies was pulsing like mad all day!. ;D I'm going to keep an eye on the older colony to see if it starts bouncing back.

I used Seachem Reef Buffer to raise the pH and the xenia started moving almost immediately, even with the lighs off (well..the moonlights were on). Might be worth a try.

 

yeah i know i should test for iodine. i did order the test kit. but the the iodine i use says to add that much. but good to hear they are starting to pump for you. all mine pump at night as well.

 

well, my xenias are finally pumping

but it can't be my ph, because that dropped to under 8 :/. But I started using iron and iodine of natureef, and a dose of each it's now pumping. Not real fast, but it's a start. It'll probably get better as soon as I have the ph up again.

 

Me too!!! I noticed today with the pump off they were pulsing or pumping, I'd say grabbing, away. Not real fast either, but you could tell!!!

Hoodoo, I tested my Ph yesterday, and it was 8.8 or above....

is that bad? or good? a real pretty purple in the test tube!! but dont know if I should do anything to change it....


btw, Congrats!!!

Scoffer